King Announces Second Radicalization Hearing on June 15

Media Contact: (202) 226-8417

Washington, D.C. (Thursday, June 9, 2011) – Today, U.S. Rep. Peter T. King (R-NY), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, announced that on Wednesday, June 15 he will convene the second in a series of hearings on radicalization of the Muslim-American community. The hearing is entitled: “The Threat of Muslim-American Radicalization in U.S. Prisons.”

King said: “In March, the Committee examined radicalization of Muslim-Americans generally. At this hearing, we will look specifically at the extent of the dangerous problem of radicalization in U.S. prisons. We have seen cases in which inmates have been radicalized at the hands of already locked-up terrorists or by extremist imam chaplains. We will focus on a number of the serious cases in which radicalized current and former inmates have planned and launched attacks or attempted to join overseas Islamic terrorist organizations. We will hear testimony from both U.S. and international experts on the issue and from those intimately involved in recent prison radicalization cases.

“This radicalization hearing, like the one in March, will be a deliberate and thoughtful examination of an issue that is too important for our security to ignore.”

The hearing will be webcast at www.homeland.house.gov. (The webcast plays in Windows Media format and is best viewed using Internet Explorer.)

The hearing room (311 Cannon) has limited seating, and likely will not be able to accommodate all members of the media wishing to cover the hearing from the press viewing area.

Only Congressionally credentialed members of the media will be allowed access to the press viewing area in the committee hearing room and must RSVP by Monday, June 13 at 5 p.m. to the Committee on Homeland Security at 202-226-8417

Members of the media who are not Congressionally credentialed may contact their respective Galleries to apply for a temporary press credential (see numbers below).

All television crews must RSVP to the House Radio TV Gallery at 202-225-5214.